Control system



u 1953 v. R. KIMBALL ETAL 2,642,567

CONTROL SYSTEM Filed Sept. 22, 1949 INVENTORS VERNON RK/MBILL ADAM DEN/(ARD JR.

ATTRNEY Patented June 16, 1953 CONTROL SYSTEM VernonR. Kimball, Maywood, and Adam Drenkard, Jr., Teaneck, N. 1., assignors to Bendix Aviation Corporation, Teterboro, N. J a corporation of Delaware Application September 22, 1949, Serial No. 117,218

10 Claims.

T e present invention relates to the remote control of movable members, and particularly to orienting directional antennas used for transmissionor reception of electromagnetic waves as in radar, television or microwave relay communication systems.

As is well known, maximum signal intensity is obtained with a directional antenna when the plane of the antenna is normal to a line between the antenna and a distant station. When signals-are selectively transmitted to or received from, a plurality of distant stations located in may be provided to position the antenna.

different directions from the point of transmis- I sion or reception, the antenna must be oriented so that signal intensity is a maximum with respect to the selected station.

,,With equipment used, heretofore to microwave television programs from the point of origin to thecentral station for general telecast distribution, the antenna is aimed by locally manually moving the antenna eachtime the location of a remote programis changed. The antenna is at a considerable, distance from the control room wherethe' accuracy of its position is measured by the resultant signal strength, and instructions to personnel aiming the antenna must be relayed between the two points. Often the antenna is so inaccessible that repositioning it frequently requires the services of a special rigging crew. As a result, the expense, time and other difiiculties in repositioning the antenna impose limitations on-the frequency and speed with which programs can be switched from one remote point to another.

One object of the invention is to automatically position an antenna from a remote point for maximum signal intensity relative to any one of a number of selected stations.

.Another object is to provide manually controlled means remote fromthe antenna for positioning the antenna. r Another object is tomanually or automatically position, in azimuth and. elevation and from a remote point, an element rotatable about horizontal and vertical axes. t t The invention contemplates a control system including means, such as a plurality of transmitting inductive devices, providing predetermined phase-voltage signals corresponding to predetermined positions of a movable element,

to drive the antenna to the desired position. A transmitter inductive device, in which the signal may be varied manually or otherwise, also A separate control system preferably is used for accurately positioning the antenna about its horizontal and vertical axes.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the invention will appear more fully hereinafter from a consideration of the detailed description which follows, taken together with i the accompanying drawing wherein one embodiment of the invention is illustrated. It is to be expressly understood, however, that the drawing is for. illustration and description only, and is not to be construed as defining the limits of the invention,

In the drawing,

Figure 1 is a side view, partly in section, of an antenna assembly constructed according to the invention; and

Figure 2 is a wiring diagram showingthe circuit' arrangement in the antenna system.

In Figure 1, anantenna base I is mounted in bearings 3 on 'a support 4 for azimuth rotation about a verticalaxis. A servo 5 drives base I in azimuth through gears 1, 9.

An antenna ll of any suitable kind is supported by a member I2 pivoted for limited elevation rotation about a horizontal axis l3 to an upright l5 rigidwith base I. A servo l1 drives the antenna and supporting member in elevation through anarm I9 and link 2|.

. In Figure 2, an azimuth antenna control circuit 23 is shown at the left-hand side of the drawing, and an elevation antenna control circuit 25 is shown at the right hand side of the drawing. The electrical components of the azimuth and elevation controls are substantially identical. a

The azimuth control includes a plurality of transmitter inductive devices 21, the number corresponding to the number of stations to which may be connected selectively by switches or other circuit connecting devices 39 to stators 3| of V transmitter inductive devices 21.

. Servo '5 also includes an amplifier 4| and a excited by the amplifier output and having its other field 41 separately excited from a source 48 of the same freguencyas the signal irequency. Motor 43drives antenna base I through gears 1, 9, and is connected mechanically to rotor 35 of receiver inductive device 33.

' sition.

two-phase motor 43 having one of its fields 45 The signal from a preselected transmitter inductive device 2'! connected to the servo b y its associated switch 39 is fed t O .I:CiVIllflql.l0lllVe device 33 and the error signal is amplified and impressed on field 45 of motor A3. The emotion operates until the receiver inductive device is driven to null position and orients theantenna in azimuth to a position at'right angles to the line between the antenna and the selected -sta-..

the antenn a may be directed ,to the .station to h no t by fl bisiti 111 .12 r c hes 39 5t Q the stat n i he de ih b =1o n th w m s e i qh'e 319 L an i j the l ta i to h eas by i gsin t interm d at wi hes 5 Inthe drawing, only three of each of thefpreset inductive devices 21, 49 are,s hQwn, but it should ,loe und erstood .that any inumbe r' of such dev c b viq iee eip n l e th number of stations to which the antennais to be d r d ut mat ee Adjustable tansmitter inductivefdevices 59, 1' ma b -P d? i q anua m ifibai the antenna in v azin'iuth and elevation, respecmay, such s jiiilp ckirig ,up sue units. Transmitter inductive devicestgi, 1| mayghave qntr n b 5. d a be nr e f v by switches {61, ,59 toazimuth and ,e1e v tion ,servos L n 1, t-esneq ve The 1 seal .fr m indu ti d e 5. 1 a impr ss d refe ve in u devices 1. .3 an met r 5, 51 in response to the rerro signal, drive the antenna to n im t he a mu a d lere tie re d as Q t an enna Th a nam .P- qn in oi s atab e in azimuth ormay be provided with suitable means, such as d isclosed and claimed in co pending application Serial No 147,342, filed March 3, #1950, by Irving B. Cooper Jr., for limiting rotation in azimuth to approximately one revolution in either direction.

The antenna may be -.automatically positioned for maximum signal-intensity with respect to any 4 orienting an element of any kind to a desired po- For example, the antenna may be replaced by a television camera and a number of such cameras may be located at various vantage points in an assembly hall or stadium, and be individually controlled manually or automaticallytrom, a central cqntrol bocth. 'IjIhis arra g'ement will offer abroad scope of coverage and a great variety of camera angles with but a single operator. Various changes can be made :in the dcsign and arrangement of the parts without-'departing from the spirit and scope of the seminars: 11. man antennasystem, an antenna to be positioned, inductive means for generating a plurality of predetermined signals corresponding to predetermined positions of said antenna, means responsive to said signals for driving said anteen t drp o l a Wi mean i p se qtit mp c i 9 t e Qal 9 .i en eenrai imeae enlsai si na eseens v mani- MP ae wnem e n enn ib b 0: sitigned, er ser in, no iye' means for V efiect a pluralityof predetermined signals correspo to predetermined .positions, of I said antenna, mea ppn v t m -sig a s an a u z connected to said ..antenna, and ,circuit. ,c means for lec ive -=c,qnne= i esa d s gna K sp onsive means to .said inductive means f o r 1m;

W n bn n th ei na fiel i veg me a 'r e s e-imeans 'o. .d ire J isi 1 1 13 t n o ea redete min armors- 3. In a control systemmanelement tome positioned,.,a pluralityof tra itte ductivelde- 9 5 prov in lfiQfitQEWlQQd 11 :QQKQ- s w n i9 pred termine ,n siii ils'd dflelet c t in'duci ree e ta a e rer.in u iv vice, se iment-hen a e (to ,tn i iroi se i or sai ran m tte wa v imqmtii i J vicesand driving saidirece er ind tive de vice t 11 1 n it szn'an s in l 9Q e nqnq 1n Qt rmie rQ ti n"" Us Q v a j i.- i In at v, {te and ica a esi tdn m b' positioning said antenna a ut each of said a t i d0 t p ine uglin a ra of b eset inductive means 'fo'refiecting a plurality of e e m edw a el iq r snond s breatr ined posit ons of sa an enn bq fi of sa 331 8 3359 respsns ve to sa d igners driving said antenna about one of said axesto a i 9 iti and cf fl elefii m e ine we 9 th ea w n aid ,nf -i li i said signal responsive means I H m n a e i e??? Waterman-an n rotatable a quti vtlia l rpendicu iris; refinement? t l said control including a plurality of''i'reifi'is'rnitter inqu ii e flee s emu i 1 ibr d i hn disi nals corre spo ding to redeterinined l Qfitions of saidanten bout one of said axes, a servo in rdiea a .reszeir eeifi device d t mechanically and electrically connected thereto an negati e comet-ted t9 I eis m for ro atin vs 'qan enealabout 91, 6 Q I i ai, an e r w t-i lq in means e ,e ecil necting one of said transmitter inductive devices i eaid repa r wer ir @X p j e i t f motor in response to the associated signal and to drive said receiver inductive device to null position and drive said antenna about one of said axes to one of said predetermined positions.

6. In an antenna system, an antenna to be positioned, manually operated inductive means for generating a series of electrical signals corresponding to different positions of said antenna, and means responsive to said signals and connected to said signal generating means and driving said antenna to said positions.

' antenna to a corresponding position.

8. In a control system, an element to be positioned, a plurality of pre-set transmitter inductive devices each providing a predetermined signal corresponding to a predetermined position of said element, an adjustable transmitter inductive device having means for changing its output signal, a servo including a receiver inductive device and a motor drivingly connected thereto and to said element, and circuit closing means for selectively connecting one of said transmitter inductive devices tosaid receiver inductive device, said motor being responsive to the error signal of said connected transmitter and receiver inductive devices and driving said receiver inductive device to null position and driving said element to a corresponding position.

9. In combination with a positionable element adapted for movement to a plurality of preselected positions, a motor drivably connected to said element, a signal responsive device for operating said motor, a plurality of inductive signal generators for generating signals representing the preselected positions of said element, and means for selectively connecting said signal generators to said signal responsive device.

10. In combination with a positionable element adapted for movement to a plurality of preselected positions, a motor drivably connected to position said element, a two-part inductive signal responsive device having one part thereof operating said motor, a plurality of two-part inductive signal generating devices for generating signals representing the" preselected positions of said element, one part of each of said last-named signal generating devices being connected to a common source of supply and the other part of each of said signal generating devices being adapted for connection to the other part of said signal responsive device, and means for selectively connecting said signal generators to said signal responsive device.

VERNON R. KIMBALL. ADAM DRENKARD, JR.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,215,815 Kaminski et al Feb. 13, 1917 1,637,039 Hewlett et a1. July 26, 1927 2,264,850 Koch Dec. 2, 1941 2,272,431 Rankin Feb. 10, 1942 2,481,331 Newbold Sept. 6, 1949 2,482,809 Thompson Sept. 27, 1949 

